Electrode array manufacture

Abstract

Winding a wire at a first location such that the wire is bunched at the first location, extending the wire from the first location to a second location, winding the wire at the second location such that the wire is bunched at the second location, extending the wire from the second location back towards the first location to a third location proximate the second location, winding the wire at the third location such that the wire is bunched at the third location, extending the wire from the third location back towards the first location to a fourth location at least proximate the first location, winding the wire at the fourth location such that the wire is bunched at the fourth location, severing the wire at one or more locations, and forming an electrode assembly utilizing the windings.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 winding a wire at a first location such that the wire is bunched at the first location;   extending the wire from the first location to a second location;   winding the wire at the second location such that the wire is bunched at the second location;   extending the wire from the second location back towards the first location to a location at least proximate the first location, wherein the wire is contiguous from the first location to the location at least proximate the first location; and   forming an electrode assembly utilizing the windings.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the radial outer diameter of the bunched wire at the first location is the same as the radial outer diameter of the bunched wire at the second location.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 winding the wire at a third location such that the wire is bunched at the third location, wherein the third location is proximate the first location and between the first location and the second location;   extending the wire from the third location to a fourth location in between the third location and the second location, wherein the fourth location is proximate the second location;   winding the wire at the fourth location such that the wire is bunched at the fourth location; and   extending the wire from the fourth location back towards the third location to a location at least proximate the third location, wherein the wire is contiguous from the first location to the location at least proximate the third location.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 winding and extending the wire so that there is a first group of at least five bunched sections that are spatially separate from each other and such that there is a second group of at least five bunched sections that are spatially separate from each other, the first group and the second group being remote from each other with respect to the formed electrode array, wherein   the wire is contiguous.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 winding and extending the wire so that there is a first group of at least five bunched sections that are spatially separate from each other and such that there is a second group of at least five bunched sections that are spatially separate from each other, the first group and the second group being remote from each other with respect to the formed electrode array, wherein respective bunched sections of the first group are connected via the wire to respective bunched sections of the second group by at least two sub-sections of the wire.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, starting at N=4:
 i) winding the wire at the N−1th location, wherein the N−1th location is the location at least proximate the first location, wherein the wire is contiguous from the first location to a location at a completion of the winding of the wire at the N−1th location;   ii) extending the wire from the N−1th location to an Nth location, proximate the N−1th location and between the N−1th location and the N−2th location;   iii) winding the wire at the Nth location such that the wire is bunched at the Nth location;   iv) extending the wire from the Nth location towards the N−2th location to an N+1th location proximate and spaced away from the N−2th location;   v) winding the wire at an N+1th location such that the wire is bunched at the N+1th location;   vi) extending the wire from the N+1th location to an N+2th location proximate the Nth location;   vii) winding the wire at the N+2th location such that the wire is bunched at the N+2th location;   viii) repeating actions ii-viii until at least N=15, where N increases by 3 for each time ii-viii is repeated.   
     
     
         7 . A method, comprising:
 winding a wire at a first location such that the wire is bunched at the first location;   extending the wire from the first location to a second location;   winding the wire at the second location such that the wire is bunched at the second location;   extending the wire from the second location back towards the first location to a third location proximate the second location;   winding the wire at the third location such that the wire is bunched at the third location;   extending the wire from the third location back towards the first location to a fourth location at least proximate the first location;   winding the wire at the fourth location such that the wire is bunched at the fourth location;   severing the wire at one or more locations; and   forming an electrode assembly utilizing the windings, wherein   the action of forming an electrode assembly utilizing the windings includes at least using the windings at the third location and the fourth location.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first and fourth locations are proximate one another and the second and third locations are proximate one another and the third and fourth locations are remote from one another, all with respect to the formed electrode array; and   the respective bunchings establish respective embryonic contacts and respective embryonic electrodes of the electrode array.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the wire is extended and wound so that there are at least a first group and a second group of five bunched sections each, two bunched sections of the first group corresponding to the bunchings at the first and fourth locations, and two bunched sections of the second group corresponding to the bunchings at the second and third locations; and   the bunchings of the first group and the second group are made up of the same single wire.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the electrode assembly is an electrode assembly of a cochlear implant; and   the extension of the wires between the first group and the second group extend through a lead portion of the electrode assembly.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the action of severing the wire at one or more locations includes severing the wire, relative to the wire, between the first location and the third location. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the action of extending the wire from the first location to the second location extends the wire a distance greater than an axial length of the of the bunched wire at the first location.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 at least one of:
 the action of winding a wire at a first location is executed by winding the wire about a first mandrel; or 
 the action of winding a wire at the second location is executed by winding the wire about the first mandrel or a second mandrel; and 
   the electrode assembly includes the first mandrel and/or the second mandrel and/or a portion of the first mandrel and/or a portion of the second mandrel.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 winding the wire at the second location such that there are two layers of winding, one over top of the other.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein upon the completion of the action of winding the wire at the fourth location such that the wire is bunched at the fourth location, the wire is contiguous from the first location to the fourth location. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein upon the completion of the action of winding the wire at the fourth location such that the wire is bunched at the fourth location, the wire is contiguous from the first location to the fourth location. 
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising:
 winding a wire at a first location such that the wire is bunched at the first location;   extending the wire from the first location to a second location;   winding the wire at the second location such that the wire is bunched at the second location; and   forming an electrode assembly utilizing the windings, wherein   with respect to the formed electrode assembly:
 the wire wound at the first location is uninsulated; and 
 the wire wound at the second location is uninsulated. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 extending the wire from the second location back towards the first location to a location at least proximate the first location, wherein the wire is contiguous from the first location to the location at least proximate the first location.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 extending the wire from the second location back towards the first location to a location at least proximate the first location, wherein the wire is contiguous from the first location to the location at least proximate the first location, wherein the action of extending the wire back towards the first location includes extending the wire so that the wire overlaps the bunched wire at the first location and wherein the method further comprises winding the wire at the first location a second time such that the wire is bunched at the first location.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the first location and the second location are remote from one another with respect to the formed electrode array.